Roundup: Compact Digital Cameras : Nikon Coolpix S620
20. Nikon Coolpix S620
A high-speed start
The Nikon Coolpix S620 really impressed us with its speed of start-up. Youll have to wait just 1 second for your first photo on this little compact, and under 1.4 seconds with the flash.
This is really excellent responsiveness and the camera will be appreciated for its capacity to capture fleeting moments. Unfortunately, these speeds are not repeated for burst and saving between two images.
The new Coolpix S620 from Nikon must feel a bit out on a limb. Usually accompanied by a Wi-Fi model, the new S6xx series compact will not be coming in a wireless version. This doesn’t really matter, as it gains several pixels in compensation and a REAL zoom. The S620 is also devilishly quick. Lets move on to our critique.
Handling
- Coolpix S620 Jet Black...
The casing of the new Coolpix S620 is obviously from the same family as the previous model (S610c). The design is therefore relatively neutral and we’ll let you choose from the different colors on offer (the pale salmon pink was not necessarily pleasing everyone in editorial). The casing is well finished and our sample handled being carried round in a pocket well: coins, keys…
In size it is almost identical to the previous model, and at the back is a 2.7-inch LCD screen that can display 230,000 pixels. Angles of vision are wide and fluid, so it’s a relatively comfortable screen. The navigation scroll remains a good point, enabling rapid setting of parameters. The fact that the compact does not have a priority mode on the scroll (or at least exposition correction) is a downside however. Commands are a little larger which makes handling easier. There is a real zoom (around the shoot catch) which is a bonus.
The menus are pretty much the usual, and you can get to grips with the S620 without needing to consult the manual. There is a help function available (using the zoom command) which details the different functions. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to quit the menu by simply pressing the shoot so as to react to an unexpected situation.
The Coolpix S620 is very fast in start-up (see the inset), and just about ok on the other times. We have noticed several vague features, especially when you try and take two photos one after the other (the AF seems to lag). The compact has other autofocus systems such as the detection of smiles or following a subject; both modes are far from infallible.
Image quality
12 Mpix sensors are now standard on top-end cameras. The Coolpix S620 is no exception to the rule. The optical zoom has a welcome wide-angle and has good uniform sharpness across the whole image surface. Distorsion is visible on the wide-angle but nothing too serious. It is regrettable perhaps that the Nikon does not have an automatic correction of this fault, as some other models of the same brand have this feature. The images delivered by the 12 Mpix sensor are nice at 100 ISO. There is marked accentuation, but this allows you to print directly. Exposition is often only just ok, and contrast is very present. A4 prints are of pretty good quality. There are however some drawbacks such as very present fringes of color on transition zones. The white balance is a little too warm (image tending towards yellow) in our studio, but in full daylight the colors are well respected.
The Cooolpix S610 was not strong on dealing with electronic noise. With 2 million extra pixels, the results are not really much better. Although the images are clean up to 200 ISO, there is already significant smoothing; 400 ISO only amplifies this. The S620 offers 6400 ISO in full definition, but this is hardly usable in terms of prints. Optical stabilization (movement of lenses) is good with a sharp barby at 1/6 s, but at 800 ISO.
Lack of HD in video mode is a real drawback. Nikon is still turning its nose up at video format at this beginning of the year, and has forgotten to include the optical zoom during image recording. The continuous autofocus is however very positive and follows moving objects.
| Nikon Coolpix S620 | |
|---|---|
| Pluses | Minuses |
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| Although the Coolpix S620 is without a doubt the fastest compact on the market (start-up), it is still far too conservative. We would have liked to see the inclusion of HD video and better screen definition. In the same price range, people will cast longing eyes at the Canon PowerShot SD880 IS or the Panasonic FX37 and its 720p video. |  |
should have classified the cameras to at least price and/or final rating. i got discouraged to read.
should have classified the cameras to at least price and/or final rating. i got discouraged to read.
When you say classified, what do you mean? Do you mean the pages should go in order of price, or in order of rating? Such as the cheap ones at the beginning and the expensive ones at the end OR the best cameras at the top and the worst cameras at the bottom?
i meant group them by chosen price ranges/brackets or any feature you think is relevant since comparison between cameras is just difficult with the present format wherein it is only possible to compare models of a certain brand.
It would have been nice if all the cameras were given scores (yes I know this is very subjective, but so are all the comments and pro/con sections). Idealy they would be given su scores as well (i.e. a still picture score, a video score, a asthetics score, a usablity score, maybe some others) and then the cameras could be sorted by those scores with links, maybey a short blurb at each camera in the sorted list. Another thing that would be very usefull to myself and I assume other readers is a features table that allows us to compare all the cameras.